Submarine vessel.



A. R. LENDNER.

SUBMARINE VESSEL. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1916.

Patented Nov 27, 19131 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTORNEYS A. R. LENDNER. S UBIVIARINE VESSEL. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, I916. II QQWQQIMV Patented Nov 27/, I911 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I fl w s BI v owu ad 54; I TTOR/I/z V8 JQL'UGUETUS litUlllIE-U L Specification or otters Elli).

Application filed May 4, 1916. Serial No. 95,3541.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, Aoces'rns LEND- xnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful improvement in Submarine Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an im n'ovement in submarine vessels, and the invention has for its object to provide mechanism in connection with vessels of the character specified, wherein a particular form of ballast is provided capable of flowing from the chamber through a reduced opening and having a higher specific gravity than water, and so arranged that it may be discharged at will to cause the vessel to immediately'rise to the surface.

In the drawings Figure 1 1s a sectional view of a divingbell constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the method of discharging the ballast.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the lower end of the bell showing the ballast discharging,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section on the line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fi 5 is a side view partly in' section of a su marine provided with the improvement,

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section through the hull of the submarine.

Fig. 7 is a view of a portion of Fig. 6 showing the stand pipes.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 1, the diving bell consists of an outer casing having .a central portion 1 of cylindrical form and conical ends 2 and 3, the end 2 having means indicated at 4: for permitting the attachment of a cable 5, while the end 3 is provided with an outlet 6 at its apex, the outlet being normally closed by a valve 7 Within the end 2 an opening is provided for permitting entrance and exit to the bell, and the said opening is normally closed by a manhole 8, clamped in position over the opening.

Distributing tanks 9 for oxygen storage are also provided in the end 2, and ears 10 are connected with the outer surface of the body 1 and top 2 for permitting cables to be connected with the bell. An inner lining 1,1 is arranged at the body, and storage batteries 12 are held between this lining and the body. The braces 13 are arranged transversely oil the interior tor thoroughly bracing the body, and openings normally closed by plates ll are provided, two series glass plates 1-1- is circular and is held in a metal frame 18. Each frame has a flange 19, fitting the inner surface of the opening and secured thereto in any suitable manner to hold the frame and the glass in place. The shutters 15 are intended to cover the openings and close the same in case of accident, and lighting mechanism is arranged between the adjacent openings of the upper and lower series and near the connection of the end 3 with the body. Each of these lighting mechanisms comprises a series of electric bulbs 20, and a protecting casing 21 incloses each series, the bulb being connected to the outer casing in any suitable or desired manner.

A container 22 of suitable material is arranged within the end 3 of the bell, the said container being conical externally and fitting smoothly within the end. and a conical recess or depression 22 is provided in the base of the container at the center thereof, the wall of the recess being parallel with the side wall of the container. The wall of the recess has a cylindrical extension 23 at its lower end or apex, and a valve stem 25 connected with the valve 7 extends upward through the extension 23 and through a nut 26 connected with the wall of the recess by arms 27, the stem being threaded at the nut.

A hand wheel 28 is connected with the upper end of the stem, and it will be obvious that by turning the wheel the valve may be moved into or out of the opening or port 6 of the lower end. The casing is designed to contain the ballast, and it is divided into a series of horizontal compartments, by means of ring-shaped partitions 29. These partitions are arranged at spaced intervals between the recess or depression, and the lid -1 o cover plate 36 to'close the compartment within the conical partition. It will be noticed from an inspection of Figs. 1, 2 and 4 that the outer casing wall 1 is provided with a lining 36, which is secured to the wall by means of rivets 37. In use the compartment within the partition wall 22 is designed for containing drinking water.

A controlling cable 38 may be connected with the bell if desired, and a ring 39 is provided for this purpose, the ring being connected with the eye 40, on the outer wall of the casing. It will benoted from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3that a packing is arranged within the extension 23 between the inner wall of the extension and the valve stem and that packing nuts 41 and 42 are arranged at the ends of the packing to hold it in place. A telephone which is used in connection with the bell is shown in Fig. 1, by means of which those in the bell may communicate with those on the surface of the water.

In use, the bell is lowered in the usual manner, and should it for any reason be necessary for the bell to rise of its own buoyancy to the surface it is only necessar to turn the wheel 28 to remove the valve 7 om the opening 6. The ballast, metallic mer-' cury, will flow out through the opening, since it is heavier than the water, thus relieving the bell of a large amount of weight and it will arise of its own buoyancy.

In Fig. 5 .the submarine boat 43 is provided between its hull and the supporting floor 44 w th a series of compartmentsextendin transversely ofthe vessel andjseparatedf iom each other by vertical partitions 45, each having openings placing adjacent compartments in communication with each other.

An opening or port 46 is provided in one of the compartments and a valve 47 is provided for closing the opening. The valve is connected with a stem 48, having a handle at 'its upper end, the stem being threaded through a nut 49 in the partition or floor 44 and by turning the stein in the proper direction the valve may be lifted to permit the ballast or mercury to flow out, and since the partitions 45 have ports as shown between adjacent partitions all of the mercury or any part thereof may be permitted-to flow out.

In Fig. 6 the hull 50 of the boathas the 'ed to rotate in these recesses.

port 52 in its bottom leading from the conipartment 53, which contains the ballast. The valve 54 which closes the port has a stem passing through a bearing sleeve 55 in the partition or floor 56, which forms the top of the ballast compartment and through a nut 57 in the decking 58, which divides the hull into upper and lower compartments, and the stem has a hand wheel at its top for convenience in turning the same. In Figs. 5 and 6 means is shown for stabilizing the boat in sinking and rising.

The said means comprises semi-cylindrical recesses 59 which extend longitudinally of the hull at each side thereof, the said recesses opening outwardly, and semi-cylindrical shells 60 having closed ends are mount When the shells are in the position at the left of Fig. 6, the recesses are open, while when the shells are in the position at the right of Fig. 6 the recesses are closed, and any suitable means may be provided for oscillating the shells in their recesses. In addition these shells and recesses which are in fact chambers capable of being opened or closed may contain air to assist buoyancy of the submarine.

It will be evident that when the submarine is in the water with the water level at the tops of the recesses and the shells are turned from the position at the left of Fig. 6 to that of the right of Fig. 6, a large'amount of water will be inclosed in the submarine, while when the shells are turned into the position at the left of Fig. 6 this water will e released. With air held in these comparatiyely large chambers, it will be practically impossible for the submarine to sink even when greatly damaged. The shells 60 may contain ballast of any character, or they may contain air, and in either case they assist to stabilize the vessel. In the latter case they assistbuoyancy. The submarine is also provided with stand pipes 61, which are adapted to extend well above the water when the submarine is awash or partly submerged as shown in Fig. 5 to permit the entrance of air and the escape of the gases of combustion.

These stand pipes 61 are hinged as shown at 62 to the decking of the submarine and communicate with the interior thereof, the arrangement beingsuch that when they are released from the decks at their free ends they will rise to a standing position. Each stand pipe has-an enlargement or chamber 63 at its upper end forming an air bulb for receiving a large amount of air to make the free ends of th'e stand pipes especially buoyan It will be understood that when the shells 60 are turned in a closed position, closed containers are provided, as indicated in Fig.

stance, arc-shaped rack bars 64, 'Which are connected with the opposite side edges of the shells and pass through openings in the hull. These rack bars are engaged by pinions 65 which maybe rotated in any suitable manner, as for instance by the crank 66. In practice, however, power would be applied to the shafts and the pinions to rotate the same.

\Vith the improved form of ballast, the ballast will flow when the valves are open regardless of the position of the hull. If, for instance, the hull is resting upon rocks o'rupon the bottom of the sea, the mercury will still flow out when the valves are open,

. even a slight crevice permitting the flow of the liquid mercury.

When the shells are in the closed position shown at the right of Fig. 6, and contain air, the large amount of air contained assists in buoying the boat.

I claim 1. In a submarine vessel, the combination with a hull having substantially cylindrical recesses extending longitudinally at the. opposite sides thereof, and opening externally,

and shells mounted to rotate in the recesses and having openings adapted to register with the openings or the recesses and forming with the recesses when the openings are out of register closed compartments.

2. In a submarine vessel, the combination withthe hull having a ballast compartment opening externally, quick silver Within the compartment, and means for permitting the said ballast to be discharged at will.

3. In a submarine vessel, the combination with the hull having a ballast compartment and a discharge port opening from the said compartment, means for closing the said port, and metallic mercury in the said compartment.

at. In a submarine vessel, a hull having a ballast compartment provided with means for permitting the said ballast to be discharged at will, and metallic mercury in the compartment.

AUGUSTUS ROMEO IJENDNER.

G. E. GARDNER. 

